Major buyers have been Benin, Indonesia, the Philippines, China and South Africa with orders still pending from the Philippines.

BANGKOK – Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) Adul Chotinisakorn has reported the value of Jasmine rice has risen significantly to 18,000 baht per ton, and rice exports overall have increased with 9 million tons already sold this year.

The Director-General said that from the start of the year to October 19 Thailand exported 8.9 million tons of rice, worth a combined 4.6 billion USD and 2.71 percent more on-year. Major buyers have been Benin, Indonesia, the Philippines, China and South Africa with orders still pending from the Philippines, where Thailand won an auction to sell 18,000 tons of rice and could potentially sell up to 750,000 tons. Japan has also struck a deal to purchase over 87,000 tons of rice.

With orders still incoming from many countries, it is expected that Thailand will hit its rice export target of 11 million tons this year.